The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-06-17
DEATH OF DOCTOR ASAHEL
FARR

The following has been furnished by
one of the oldest residents of this city,
who was intimately acquainted with DR.
Farr:
| Somewhat more than year ago
Doctor Asahel Farr was Frustrated by a
severe attack of illness, and from that
attack he at no time fully recovered.
His professional services were exacting
and exceptionally large, ana he was also
interested in other important business
pursuits, In relation to which reverses
occurred against which human foresight
was powerless to provide. The mental
pressure of the one and the exacting
labors of the other overcame physical
powers much above the average of the
human race. From the date of his first
attack there we're periods of partial re-
covery- sunshine and shade-but at
last the fatal hour arrived and the bowl
was broken at the fountain. His death
occurred at / 80 Monday morning.
Doctor Farr was born at Waterford,
Vt, in the year 1920. and graduated in
the medical department of yarmouth
College. at Hanover, New Hampshire,
in 1916. To his medical studies he de-
voted an entire year beyond what is
usually allotted to those who are to enter
upon the responsible duties of the medi-
cal profession. In the year 184S Doctor
Farr married Martha Jackson Wheeler,
of Peacham, VT, and changed his place
of abode to Kenosha in the year 1854.
Mrs. Farr, who was lady of mental
capacity much above the average of her
sex. died in this city Oct. Is, 1878. Two
years later Doctor Farr married Mrs.
Emma Mari Durfee, daughter of Dennis
MARI, of Waukegan, ILL.,, who has proved
a faithful helpmate.
Doctor Farr was Mayor of this city
during the years 1859, 1864, 1871, 1872,
1873, 1877 and 1873, and was a member
Of the Assembly Of this state in the year
1873, and State Senator in 1876. He
was also the local surgeon of the G. &
N. w. Railroad and the local surgeon of
the pension department of the Govern
ment. When the battle of Shilo oc-
CURED DR.. Farr and three or four other
prominent surgeons were by the Govern
ment sent to Pittsburg Landing by a
special train. In the year 1874 the &c.
900 allotted to this harbor in the appro-
priation bill was shaved off by the river
and harbor committee at Washington.
Doctor Farr, at considerable personal
sacrifice. visited the National Capitol,
and his commanding presence and force
of character enabled him to cause re-
versal of the action of the committee,
and the originally allotted amount for
this harbor was reinstated.
Doctor Farr was occasionally called to
visit Chicago as a consulting physician
in cases of extreme illness and also as a
consulting surgeon in cases where diff
cult surgical operations We're to be per-
formed. He also reluctantly, but never
theless with complete promptness, re-
sponded to similar calls from many and
distant places in this state.
AS a physician there were but few
who could be rated as the peer of Doc
tor Farr. and as surgeon he stood
among the foremost in the land. HUI
mane--indeed, as sympathetic as a
woman-he performed the most difficult
and painful surgical operations without
emotion. There were those who enter
tanned the opinion that his medical as
tuteness was matter of intuition. The
facts were, however, that he was a man
of large mental capacity, and that the
medical school where he pursued his
studies was among the best in the land.
He leaves two sons, both of whom
are pursuing the same profession to
which he devoted his life, a Borrowing
widow, and one daughter.
His funeral, which had been announ.
ced to take place in the Episcopal
church, was changed, for satisfactory
reasons, to the Congregational church,
of which he had been a member for
over thirty years. The services were
held yesterday Thursday at 2 O'Clock
P. M. After a discourse by Rev. Mr..
Bray, and appropriate music by the
choir, the exercises were taken in charge
by the Racine Commandery of Knights
Templar, of which order DR.. Farr was
member. A good number Of the
same order were present from Wauke-
gan. The church was filled to its full
capacity. The procession proceeded to
the cemetery, preceded by u band of
music. Nearly all the business houses
in the city were closed during the
funeral services, as a mark of respect.